Workshop Session 1

Student veterans entering higher education experience transition challenges common to other adult learners (e.g. dealing with institutional and personal expectations) but also have challenges resulting from moving from an experience and culture with which the vast majority of Americans have not been exposed. Student veterans are more likely to graduate than their civilian counterparts, but need a supportive (but not enabling) environment that is able to address their academic and personal needs. Academic advisors are key components in the student veteran's experience and this workshop will help advisors better understand the challenges student veterans face and collectively review and develop creative ways to help this population achieve their academic and personal goals.

Facilitators

Jenny Pickett, Colorado State University

Jenny (Col, USAF, retired) serves as the Director of Adult Learner and Veteran Services at Colorado State University. She spent more than 28 years in uniform, completing 5 command assignments and 2 tours at the Pentagon. She earned an Executive MBA from University of Denver and holds Masters degrees from California State University, San Bernardino, and the Air War College.

Cameron Cook, University of Colorado Denver

Cameron is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps where he served as an aviation weapons systems technician in Camp Pendleton, California, Okinawa, Japan, and Al Asad, Iraq. He earned Associates Degrees in Fire Science and Liberal Arts from Palomar College in San Diego, California, graduated from the Metropolitan College of Denver with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Administration and is currently working towards his Master's Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Denver. Mr. Cook has several years of experience serving the veteran population including San Diego County Veteran Services, Metropolitan State College Veterans Upward Bound, and is currently serving as the Director of Veteran Student Services at the University of Colorado Denver. He is also a founding member of the Veterans Education Subcommittee on the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs and the Student Veteran Group for the United Veteran Committee (UVC) of Colorado.

Kristina Spaeth, University of Colorado Boulder

Kristina, M.A., is an academic advisor with the Center for Students in Transition, an advising unit in the College of Arts and Sciences at CU Boulder which specializes in working with non-traditional students, international students, and student veterans. She has over 5 years of experience working military-affiliated student populations and the Veteran's Service Center at CU Boulder.